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About to buy my first motorhome


pyrie

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Hi, I've bought MMM now and then for the past 3 or 4 years and always dreamed of the time of owning my own motorhome... and the time is now about right.

 

I know roughly what I want to spend (20k) on a used motorhome, about 10-12 years old from a dealership, and I have a rough idea on what I need from it.

 

When I have settled on a particular motorhome, and ready to part with cash... what haggling / bartering options do I have to either reduce the price, or have extras included?

 

Though I'm 46 and only owned 3 cars in my 28 years of driving, I don't have very good haggling skills.

 

Advice greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

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Guest Had Enough

Most dealers will have a bit of wiggle room on the sticker price, but it may be very little or quite a lot depending on how popular the MH is, how long he's had it in stock and how good or poor his cash flow is.

 

A dealer I know tells me that he can sell every modestly-priced 'van he can get, that's in the £20 to £25K price range. The more expensive ones don't go as fast, although that could be because he's in a northern industrial town where there's not as much money as in the Home Counties for instance.

 

I think you should consider one or two things though. Dealers need to make a profit. If you want good service and you want the dealer to be there in a couple of years time you have to accept that he must have a reasonable margin.

 

You should also be wary of cutting off your nose to spite your face. Don't get in an entrenched position where you issue ultimatums telling him that you'll only buy if he drops it to a certain price. He may not be able to and then you won't want to lose face and you can end up walking away from a 'van that you really want and have to start all over again.

 

And please don't think that if he can't reduce the price by more than X, he can still throw in accessories. Accessories cost money and if he's including them you're not buying them so he's losing profit on the things that most of us buy.

 

Finally, find a decent dealer, there are many of them around and their reputation is important to them. I prefer the smaller, well established family businesses whose long-term success comes from treating customers fairly. In the age of the Internet crooks don't last long as they're soon found out and publicised.

 

 

 

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Hi, you will get loads of advice on this site, and it`s probably true to say that there will be someone on this site who has covered the things you are looking at, just take no notice when they start to squabble.

For my two pennorth, go for the shortest van that will give you what you want, not the biggest you can get, and don`t buy anything until you really re ally understand about weight, payload and driving licence categories.

We are on our sixth motorhome, and have a 6 metre A class, we think it` perfect. Mind you, I wouldn`t mind a bit more payload.

If buying in the Bournemouth area I might tell you a cautionary tale about our experience.

AGD

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Easter is the busy time, as the weather warms up folk get the bug and start looking around.

You may be lucky and pick up something the dealer has just taken in p/ex and wants to move on quickly, dealer warranties are transferable, so don't discount a private sale with some warranty left.

Mine had two and a half years because the previous owner changed their mind after their first trip.

Accept that your perfect MH doesn't exist, there is always something that is a compromise, mileage is irrelevant, but the issue is always DAMP!

 

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Your licence allows you to drive a MH over 3.5T, this will give you more payload, but could limit you in some countries or in the centre of many towns.

If you see a MH anywhere, just go up to the owner and ask questions, despite what you might read on this forum, we are a pleasant bunch in the flesh, just very tetchy on line.

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Hi All,

We are waiting for our first Motorhome which we ordered after visiting the NEC show last October, we should have had it on 1st March 2015, but due to delays with Autotrail it's not expected now till 3rd April . We will have to cancel our first trip which was to Baltic Wharf in Bristol, but hanging on just in case it arrives early. The waiting is frustrating as when you spend months looking at reviews on line and in magazines deciding on what to get and then you pay the deposit you want it on the drive which I'm sure you would all agree.

We decided on an Autotrail Dakota from Continental Leisure Vehicles in Cross Hands, West Wales who up till now have been excellent. We decided to buy from them as they were our local dealer (living in Swansea), plus they took our caravan (Bailey Pageant Series 7) in part exchange which saved all the hassle of selling it ourselves. They offered a good price for it seeing as we'd had it from new for five years, it was well looked after (thankfully to my wife being extra fussy e.g. never allowing shoes to be worn in the van).

Actually I had a phone call a couple of weeks ago from the new owner who was from Bristol, he rang to complement us for the condition it was in and sounded very happy with it, and couldn't wait to go on his first trip. He'd bought it from Cross Hands as apparently it was far cheaper there than with his local dealers.

We both retired last year and we've got a few trips booked including a two month tour of Scotland so we can't wait to load it up and hit the road.

Incidentally "Baltic Wharf" which is a CC site closes at the end of the summer as a school is being built on the site and therefore is full till it closes (or so it shows on the CC site). We've always fancied going there but never actually made it. Some things just aren't meant to be.

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Hi, Preston a good location. we dealt with Steve from Marquis Leisure, he gave us good advice, a good deal, and great aftersales service.

 

You will be made welcome and they have a good selection of motorhomes for you to look at, if you fancy looking at one they have in stock at amother branch, they transfer it to your closest branch. excellent service.

 

Handover was excellent, and van cleaned to an excellent standard, maybe worth a visit.

Good luck, enjoy

 

Lynne

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Hire before you buy. It certainly changed our minds regarding the layout and available interior space. Haggling is all about getting the item at a price you think is reasonable. The rule is you can only haggle if you are prepared to walk away.

Welcome to the forum.

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  • 1 month later...
Archiesgrandad - 2015-03-08 6:44 PM

 

Hi, you will get loads of advice on this site, and it`s probably true to say that there will be someone on this site who has covered the things you are looking at, just take no notice when they start to squabble.

For my two pennorth, go for the shortest van that will give you what you want, not the biggest you can get, and don`t buy anything until you really re ally understand about weight, payload and driving licence categories.

We are on our sixth motorhome, and have a 6 metre A class, we think it` perfect. Mind you, I wouldn`t mind a bit more payload.

If buying in the Bournemouth area I might tell you a cautionary tale about our experience.

AGD

 

I am looking for my first motorhome around Bournemouth Southampton areas so would be interested in the tale. Thanks

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Brian, I don't haggle. I'd probably be rubbish at it.

 

A Procurement Manger told me to decide what I was willing to pay and leave the seller to work their way down to my price. In the meantime, just keep saying, "no" until they hit the price - or get very close to it. Let them have the stress if they want a deal. Sometimes I even tell them that I don't haggle and this is the price I will pay. I'm very clear what extras I want on a motorhome and I include that in my price. Works for me.

 

Doubt it would work as well if you were trying to buy the last life raft on a sinking ship though.

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